School-based health centers to remain open

LAS CRUCES — La Clinica de Familia has agreed to operate two school-based health centers at high schools in the Gadsden Independent School District. Once an agreement is finalized, it would mean the all four high schools previously overseen by the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico will have new agreements in place to continue operating the centers.

Two schools in the Las Cruces district, Las Cruces and Oñate high schools, reached an agreement with Ben Archer Health Center to take over operations in November, shortly after the foundation's decision to discontinue oversight of the programs. New Mexico Department of Health and Gadsden officials say an agreement is being finalized for La Clinica de Familia to operate centers Gadsden and Chaparral high schools.

“Gadsden ISD is in the process of finalizing an agreement with La Clinica de Familia to continue their participation with the school based health centers in the district,” said Luis Villalobos, a district spokesman. “In December that process began and GISD looks forward to completing that funding agreement, which is still being finalized. The district, in this regard, is also working closely with the New Mexico Department of Health.”

According to the Department of Health, both community health centers have agreed to assume operation of the centers beginning this month.

“Ben Archer is poised and ready to begin operating full-time,” said NMDOH spokesman David Morgan. “La Clinica de Familia is gearing up and, while services will be limited through May, they anticipate full operation in Gadsden and Chaparral by the fall.”

Until the school-based health centers at Gadsden and Chaparral high schools are fully operational again, Villalobos said the district will continue to provide health services requested by students.

“By far, the majority of health-related services requested by GISD students are provided by the school nurses assigned to the respective high schools,” Villalobos said.

Villalobos said school nurses will utilize “various state and local agencies available to the community” to assist students seeking mental health services until the school-based health centers are fully operational.

Meanwhile, the two LCPS schools are expected to be fully operational when students return Monday from winter break.

“The transition is going just great,” said Ellen Williams, director of health services for LCPS. “They’ll be open and fully operational when students return to school. Ben Archer has just been fantastic. They even offered jobs to every single one of the staff members who were working under the Community Foundation, so the kids will be dealing with the same staff.”

Williams said the change will allow the centers to expand the services they offer students.

“I cannot say how great the staff of Ben Archer has been,” Williams said. “They’ll be offering mental health and primary care services five days a week. Before, services were split. We might offer mental health services two days a week, and primary care three days. So, in the end, we actually came out ahead.”

The transition was made easier because LCPS already had a memo of understanding in place with Ben Archer, which operates the school-based health center at Mayfield High.

“The New Mexico Department of Health’s Office of School and Adolescent Health will continue to work closely with the school districts and community health centers as they transition,” Morgan said.

Damien Willis can be reached at 575-541-5468 or dawillis@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @damienwillis.